Free The DeCadia Code (The DeCadia Series Book 1) by Apryl Baker, Jonathan Yanez Page A

you charged the deck, sir. Guns blazing. I think that is a memory I will carry to my grave. Everyone can’t stop talking about it.”
    The chemical stench of the disinfectant made Stephen’s nose cringe. The fire burning levels below in the belly of the ship was making its way to the deck. Even from where Stephen was sitting, he could feel the heat soaking through the wood floor.
    The medic began sewing Stephen’s wound shut as he went on about the battle. “Well, I thought you were dead a hundred times over. Then when the smoke settled, there you were on the deck with a pile of pirates around you.”
    “There was no need for anyone else’s life to be at risk besides my own.”
    “Well, that’s an admirable thing to say, sir.”
    Stephen looked down on the medic’s work. He was efficient at his trade. The long cut was coming together in a straight line of open, red skin and thread. The pain was manageable, almost nonexistent, as Stephen focused on the tasks that needed to be done next.
    “There you are, sir. Better than new.”
    Stephen gave him an approving nod. “Thank you.”
    Before the private could pack up his bag, Stephen was walking across the deck toward his sergeant. So many factors still needed to be addressed. Foremost, in Stephen’s mind, were the eyes watching them from the shadows of the jungle foliage. He had come to the conclusion that it was only a matter of time before they would be attacked by the creatures prowling the jungle.
    The enemy would not have dedicated this much time studying them if they did not intend a form of confrontation. Stephen’s senses were on overdrive as rustling in the jungle came at him from all sides. Normally, a few leaves moving could indicate a dozen different things: today, with the lack of wind, the movement simply meant another fight.
    Stephen made his way to his sergeant while exchanging nods and salutes with every sailor that passed. “Well, if you wanted them to respect you, I think you have it now.”
    “We can talk about that later. How are we doing here? Are you ready for another fight?”
    Amil took his words in stride. “We have four captured pirates and a handful of slaves and crew from the merchant ship. Do you want me to arm them?”
    Stephen thought about the merchants with disgust. Owning slaves was something he had never done and would never do. The only people still owning them today were the ones too cheap to buy a modernized steam engine with enough power to fly a ship with minimal labor. They would rather save a few dollars and force men and women to shovel coal in the much older designed engines. “No, not yet. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
    Amil nodded. “I have a team scouring the lower decks for survivors now. They’ll be out in a few minutes. We’ll be gone before the fire below consumes the ship.”
    “Good.” Stephen removed the pistols that hung from his back and began reloading them from a pouch at his side. “They’re too smart to attack us in the open. They’ll wait until we reenter the jungle. They’ll take us in their territory on their terms.”
    “How can you be so sure?”
    “Because that’s what I would do.”
    “Who or what are they?” Amil asked as he reached for his own state-of-the-art rifle. He began loading the strange bullets he used into a compartment below the trigger.
    “I don’t know,” Stephen said as he closed the chambers of his own large pistols. “But we’re going to find out very soon.”
     
    ***
     
    “She’s not here, sir.”
    Lukas cursed softly. Where the hell was Valeria? He’d sent three of his men to search out the prisoners and freed sailors and slaves from the merchant ship. They’d all reported back she was nowhere to be found. He refused to believe that she was killed in the fight or the crash. The Captain was too ornery to go out in a pirate fight. She was a bloody pirate herself.
    No, she wasn’t dead. She put herself in this position to find someone who